SYRIAN president Bashar Al-Assad warned any intervention in Syria without his government's approval was "an invasion" - a day before the US airstrikes.

The United States launched 59 Tomahawk missiles on a Syrian air base in Homs this morning in response to a chemical attack allegedly carried out by the Assad regime, which killed at least 80 people in Khan Sheikhun earlier this week.

Six people are reported to have been killed by the US airstrikes and the airbase is said to have been almost completely destroyed.

Speaking shortly after the strike President Trump said: ”It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons

“There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the chemical weapons convention and ignored the urging of the UN Security Council.”

“Tonight I call on all civilised nations in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria."

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President Assad yesterday said any intervention in Syria would be treated as an invasion

The international community is divided over the airstrike, with the UK, Australia and Turkey supporting the President.

But Russia, which is conducting its own offensive in Syria in support of Assad, has called the airstrikes "an act of aggression" - suggesting the honeymoon between Kremlin Vladimir Putin and Mr Trump may be over.